Angus Fletcher coaches at a Media Parents Event

Life coach Angus Fletcher, founder of Streetcoaching.com is offering free coaching sessions for people who would be filmed during coaching.  If you’re a Media Parent with something to overcome – be it motivating yourself to find work, balancing the demands of  TV and parenting, learning new stress management techniques – you name it, Angus would like to hear from you.  Please click here for contact details http://www.streetcoaching.com/

please share this new Ruby Wax promo for Media Parents with as many employers as you can!

www.mediaparents.co.uk is a new jobs and social networking website for people who want to work flexibly in media. If you would like to share your experience on our blog please email admin@mediaparents.co.uk or contact us through the Media Parents site

Ruby Wax wants your jobs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a4CskzWXBI0

Media Parents members generally admit to a communal dread of networking events, so they were out in force to pick up tips from www.magickey.co.uk life coach Lyn Burgess at a Media Parents event kindly hosted by Prime Focus in Soho.

Lyn Burgess from The Magic Key Partnership is a consummate networker.

Lyn told us we would be analyzing our limiting beliefs and learning how to get rid of them, and we would learn how to make ourselves feel more confident before a networking event.  Bring it on.

So why were Media Parents members keen to network?  For support, to do research, broaden horizons, make money, to get out of the house, make contacts, promote ourselves, share ideas and recommend people.

Media Parents networkers Natalie Barb, Karen Ackerman, Lucy Sandys-Winsch, Lorraine Molloy and Michelle Martin listening to Lyn Burgess.

Lyn told us that it’s rare to actually get a job directly through networking but there’s a phrase called “paying it forward” in networking which is the belief that if you sort out opportunities for others then it will eventually come around for you.  Hope so.

So why NOT network?  It’s hard work, there’s a fear of rejection, shyness stops us, it’s relentless and sometimes boring.  You can end up making a gaffe (Is here the place to admit that last time I was at the Edinburgh TV Festival I bounded up to Jimmy Carr after a great session and said “Well done, Alan.”?)  We’re afraid of bothering people, feeling / seeming needy, we feel fake, don’t want to seem desperate – we’re too entrenched in our limiting beliefs to make the time to do it.

Hazel Palmer, Philippa Robinson and Prime Focus's Sara Hill get rid of some limiting beliefs.

Here’s how to get rid of a limiting belief.  Get a pen and paper. Draw a table top (big enough to write on, and it’s going to have legs in a minute).

Write your limiting belief on the table top. (Ours were about networking, but it could be a limiting belief about anything).  Here are some of the things people wrote: “I’m not good at selling myself to people I don’t know”. “I might not meet the right people”.  ”I don’t feel I’m good enough”. “It’s hard work talking to strangers”. “I’m too old”. Heck.

Then you draw the 4 table legs, and down each leg you write a reason why you feel that way.  So if your limiting belief is “I’m not good at selling myself to people I don’t know” you might write “I’m shy in groups”, “I think of all my career negatives”, “I engage my mouth before my brain” and “I’ve been staying at home too much”.

Next to each leg you write the counter argument – “Even a shy person can try to talk to anyone – what’s the worst that could happen?”, “Remember the praise I’ve had at work, and what I can do”, “I can research, plan ahead and have some things prepared to say”, “I will get out more”.

Scribble out the negatives, score through the limiting belief on the table top, screw up the paper and chuck it in the bin.  You’ll have engaged different parts of your brain to do this exercise – creative, analytical, emotional, physical (who doesn’t find screwing up paper just a little bit satisfying?) – and that process helps you to move on and leave your limiting belief behind.  ”Get it out of your head, onto a page, and then let it go.”

Now close your eyes.

Next Lyn taught us an NLP exercise.  How do we want to feel before a networking event?  Confident! (Unanimous).  Close your eyes, take a couple of deep breaths and imagine a time when you felt confident.  Visualize your state of mind, your surroundings etc and try to feel that you are there, feeling that feeling.  Now, with your eyes still closed, make a gesture with your hand.  Whenever you make this gesture, you will bring back your feelings of confidence.

"This gesture is your 'anchor' - you can't wear it out but you need to use it to feel the benefit", Lyn Burgess.

“This gesture is your ‘anchor’ – you can’t wear it out, but you need to use it to feel the benefit” Lyn told us.

Have a go, why not?

Stuck for something to say?  Here’s an acronym to help: FORM

Family

Occupation

Recreation

Motivation

If you’re flying solo trying to break into a group then look around the room for signals – eye contact, smiling, a friendly face will do.  You can always ask “Can I join you?” It’s rare that anyone will say no.

Questions from the floor: “How much chat should be about yourself?” “Less than you think”.  Ask questions too.  ”What should you do if you’re out of work?” “Don’t worry about it.  Never apologise for what you haven’t done”. Prepare – research, it will help you feel more confident.  If you want a job at a particular company find out what they’re doing at the moment, watch their stuff. “Identify what you are or what you want and confidence will follow”.  ”How do you approach career gaps?” “With confidence.  If you say ‘I’ve had kids’ in a confident way, people accept it”.

And with that they hit the booze and started networking.

David Vallance and Eoin O'Shea knock it back.

A good time was had by all. As Guy Lambert put it "It ruled. Good times".

Lyn Burgess is a life coach running The Magic Key Partnership www.magickey.co.uk .  As a specialist in the film and television industry, Lyn has experience of working with hundreds of producers, directors, writers and actors since the company was established in 2002.

Much of Lyn’s work with clients revolves around career – keeping things in perspective, improving motivation for freelancers, transition from one role to another, building up confidence and networking for career development.

The Magic Key Partnership runs workshops on a monthly basis and one to one coaching for clients via email, telephone or Skype.

Lyn has kindly offered a discount on one-to-one coaching sessions or workshops to members of Media Parents.

www.mediaparents.co.uk - the jobs and social networking site for short term, part time, job share and regular hours jobs in media

If you liked this, you may also like these practical networking tips:

https://blog.mediaparents.co.uk/2010/12/how-to-network-effectively/

Eoin O'Shea's limiting belief was soon toast.

"Get it out of your head, onto a page, then let it go".

Kate Middleton knew that very soon her surname would be her own again, and then there would be no stopping her.

I’m delighted to announce our next event – Tiger Aspect meets Media Parents.

www.mediaparents.co.uk is a new jobs and social networking website for people who want to work flexibly in media.

This is an exclusive opportunity for Media Parents to meet Creative Heads, Executive Producers and Production Managers from Tiger Aspect. The Company is renowned for the breadth and depth of its portfolio. Tiger Aspect produces Drama, Comedy, Entertainment, Factual, Children’s and Animation.

Interested?

Tiger Aspect HR Director Helen Matthews was so impressed by the talent she met at the Media Parents CV Event (see blog.mediaparents.co.uk) that she persuaded Tiger Aspect’s managers to take part, and was supported wholeheartedly by Tiger Aspect’s founder Peter Bennett-Jones.

Helen Matthews is HR Director at Tiger Aspect

There are 50 places available for Media Parents talent to meet Tiger Aspect both in an informal networking session and a timed appointment set-up on the evening. If you would like to attend this event you’ll need to submit your CV and covering letter for selection and admission will be by ticket only through http://mediaparentsmeetstiger.eventbrite.com

This event is for subscribers to  www.mediaparents.co.uk and to encourage new people to join our network, and there will be a small admin charge. Tiger Aspect are inviting experienced talent from across the board to come and meet them – PMs, PDs, picture editors, directors, SPs, execs, EPs, APs, researchers, shooters, co-ordinators, writers so please purchase a ticket and send a CV marked with your full name, job title and ticket number to events@mediaparents.co.uk

If you have any questions please email events@mediaparents.co.uk but hopefully this covers it.

Media Parents thanks Tiger Aspect and Soho House for their support for this event –  www.mediaparents.co.uk – yeah!

www.mediaparents.co.uk is a new jobs and social networking website for people who want to work flexibly in media. If you would like to share your experience on our blog please email admin@mediaparents.co.uk or contact us through the Media Parents site

Media Parents went on a networking jaunt to the Nations and Regions Conference at Salford last week with mixed results : stalked Alex Connock, bungled it with Steve Hewlett, hit it off with Skillset Scotland and convinced a cracking lady MD to write for the blog.  The conference itself was very interesting, and great to meet people, but I am glad that Media Parents is hosting this : https://blog.mediaparents.co.uk/2011/01/new-year-new-you-jan-5th-event-how-to-network/ Albeit a little late for me.

Media City, Salford - hasn't she grown?

Steve Hewlett chaired (more on him later) introducing a great opening Q&A session with Kirsty Wark interviewing Left Bank Pictures supremo Andy Harries.  Andy Harries is the guy Paul Greengrass called “a bright colour in a sea of grey execs”.  I’m not going to transcribe the conversation, just pick some of the useful or interesting bits. (Hopefully).

On leaving Granada to set up his Left Bank Pictures Harries said “Once The Queen rattled through to The Oscars, I just thought ‘Well, I’ve got to do it’”.  On running his own company: “I’ve never worked so hard in my life”. Quite.

Rumours that Andy Harries has turned to the bottle are just a silly gag.

When Andy Harries rallied and told Kirsty Wark he’d always been a big multi-tasker she quipped “Are you a woman?”  then went on to observe that Left Bank’s showreel, which was of considerable length, solely featured male actors.  Having warmed up, Wark then went on to take Harries to task for working largely with male writers and directors.  He admitted that he could do better, but shortly afterwards we watched a clip of The Royle Family, directed and jointly written by Caroline Aherne.  (Sue Johnston and Liz Smith reduced me to tears in about 2 minutes, which I fear is not proper behaviour at a conference.  I managed silent sobbing but the person next to me probably got wet.)

Kirsty Wark asks Andy Harries "Are you a woman?"

On his intense relationships with writers Harries remarked “If you haven’t got the writer, you haven’t got anything” and on The Royle Family scripts “I thought ‘Jesus Christ this is Alan Bennett in Manchester form’”.  The Royle Family was commissioned apparently as a blind pilot – that’s amazing isn’t it?  Who takes those risks now?

They went on to talk about The Deal, and how David Morrissey had, for the two weeks between his first casting audition and his callback for Stephen Frears, gone and lived in Gordon Brown’s constituency in Scotland so he could nail the accent.  I like that.  We also heard that ITV dropped The Deal just before it went into production because they were in negotiation with the government over their own deal.  Lucky Channel4.  But then fortune often favours the brave.

Final word from Andy Harries on having his pitches rejected by the BBC (3 in a day, apparently) “If you get stuck on looking for a director, or looking for the money, start with the actor”.  The Queen, apparently was inspired by the feeling that Helen Mirren  was somewhat regal – it was only after she expressed interest that the writing began.  If you haven’t got the writer and the talent, perhaps, you haven’t got anything.  ”It doesn’t get any easier” Harries said, “you have to have a level playing field for everybody”.

Next : David Abraham, C4 Chief Exec’s keynote speech. To hear podcasts from the Nations and Regions Conference go here http://www.nationsandregionsmedia.org/

www.mediaparents.co.uk is a new jobs and social networking website for people who want to work flexibly in media. If you would like to share your experience on our blog please email admin@mediaparents.co.uk or contact us through the Media Parents site

www.mediaparents.co.uk is a new jobs and social networking website for people who want to work flexibly in media

Following the success of the Life Coaching session with Angus Fletcher, More Than Resolutions for 2011, Media Parents is delighted to be working with Lyn Burgess from The Magic Key Partnership who will be coaching on How to Network.

At this session for Media Parents members from 7 – 9pm on Tuesday 25th January in Soho, Lyn Burgess will be exploring limiting beliefs (and how to get rid of them), looking at feeling positive (and how to get there quickly) and discussing what to say.  There will be an experiential element to the session plus a Q&A – perfectly timed just before our next event where Media Parents members will have the opportunity to network with execs across the board at one of the UK’s largest indies (more details soon).  To reserve a place at Lyn Burgess’s lifecoaching session please email admin@mediaparents.co.uk

Life coach Lyn Burgess from www.magickey.co.uk

Lyn Burgess is a life coach running The Magic Key Partnership www.magickey.co.uk .  As a specialist in the film and television industry, Lyn has experience of working with hundreds of producers, directors, writers and actors since the company was established in 2002.

Having previously worked in various operational roles, including Human Resources Director, for a number of years within the financial services industry, her philosophy on management has always taken a coaching bias.

The client base for The Magic Key Partnership includes emerging talent as well as Bafta winners and her clients include those making films with micro to multi million pound budgets, and those working within continuing drama on television.

Much of Lyn’s work with clients revolves around career – keeping things in perspective, improving motivation for freelancers, transition from one role to another, building up confidence and networking for career development.

The Magic Key Partnership runs workshops on a monthly basis and one to one coaching for clients via email, telephone or Skype.

Lyn has offered a discount on one-to-one coaching sessions or workshops to members of Media Parents.

Lyn Burgess 0845 129 7401

07801 366418

lyn@magickey.co.uk

www.magickey.co.uk

If you would like to read more about networking, click here:

https://blog.mediaparents.co.uk/2010/12/how-to-network-effectively/

To reserve a place at the How to Network coaching session please email admin@mediaparents.co.uk

www.mediaparents.co.uk worked with Life Coach Angus Fletcher www.angusfletcher.com and www.streetcoaching.com, to work out what people wanted from 2011 and how to achieve it.

Angus Fletcher addresses a full house of 26 people from Media Parents at his life coaching session

This blog will be a mixture of Angus’s wisdom as seen through the eyes of different people at the event.  First, me.  In a room full of do-ers, Angus asked us to step back from “doing”, and start connecting with our “feelings”.

Alex Evans introduces herself to Kylie McCarroll, and Jo Molloy, centre

As an icebreaker he asked us each to approach 3 different people in the room that we didn’t already know, and ask “how are you feeling about 2011?”

And with that the evening launched.  There was a mixture of answers “optimism”, “anxiety”, “apprehension”, “excitement”, “determination”, but not many more than that – most of us were in the same headspace.

Angus asked “Think about what you want to achieve and how you want to be when you are doing those things – decide on your emotional response.”

We then were asked to do a visualization exercise.  ”If you’re feeling that this is all a bit touchy feely for you, and you’re thinking ‘Oh no’, please channel your creativity and think ‘Oh yes’,”  Angus asked.  ”Close your eyes and imagine it’s been the year you wanted.  See yourself in a place at the beginning of 2012 and see how you feel there.”

"If you're thinking 'Oh no', please channel your creativity and think 'Oh yes!'"

People felt peaceful, emotional, calm.  Someone said “I imagined my house, painted.”  Angus explained “This is the big A Agenda”, the endgame, “versus the small a agenda – the steps to get to the result.  Create a measurable feeling of how you want to become and the visualization will pull you forward”.  Perhaps you had to be there.  But the idea of breaking down your plan into small tasks makes sense.  ”Having imagined the bigger feeling, think of shorter term practical tasks”.

"Think about what you want to achieve and how you want to be when you are doing those things"

PECSAW is an acronym used to achieve “well-formed outcomes”.  Get there, I suppose.  It stands for :

Positive

Evidence

Context

Self Achievable

Advantages / Disadvantages

Worthwhile

so – frame your goal in POSITIVE language  (less stressed, for example should be “calmer”).  What would be the EVIDENCE of that?  Sleeping better could be one outcome.  CONTEXT is the part of your life you want to achieve this outcome – at home / at work, you choose.  SELF ACHIEVABLE? Can I do it myself or do I need to influence things that are external.  ADVANTAGES/ DISADVANTAGES are obvious, and whether it’s WORTHWHILE should determine whether you bother to try doing it, I guess.

"Is it self-achievable?" Course it is.

In the discussion that followed this, someone bravely admitted “I spend my life trying to find disadvantages – that’s why I’m here.  These are the things I need to change”.  Angus coached us on “filtering” to focus on the positives as well as the negatives.

Someone else told me “I’m not feeling as positive as when I came in, but I think that’s because I’m feeling more realistic about what I want to achieve (and that it might be possible). Just being here is a positive for me, creating the time to think about things”.

We moved on – here’s someone else’s view of the evening, lifted from the Media Parents watercooler:

“Angus’s life coaching session was a good introduction – and left
me wanting more. For those unable to make it we touched briefly on where we wanted to be in a year’s time (focusing on emotional association rather than career or practical ones). Angus, the life coach, then asked us to reflect on a struggle that we had overcome in 2010 – identifying those strengths we had inside that helped us achieve this. We had to predict what our hurdles would be in 2011 and showed us briefly that we had it in us to access those strengths that we had already possessed.”

"Is the hurdle internal or external? If you're thinking it's a huge thing it's probably YOU".

Angus asked “Is the hurdle internal or external? If you are finding it hard to identify whether the hurdle is internal or external, it’s probably internal (you). If you’re thinking it’s a huge thing – it’s probably you”.  That’s a hell of a home truth to contemplate.  Debbie said “Last year I made a big decision to keep stress in different compartments when I was working and moving house at the same time – that’s work / this is life”.   Someone else told me “It’s been good to vocalise what’s been going on internally.  I’m definitely going to think more about advantages”.

Angus encouraged us to “recognise that you may face hurdles and be prepared for them.  If you want the confidence to become ‘intentional’ then don’t take these things by chance – think about how you feel when you feel confident and learn to turn on those behaviours so that your feeling of confidence isn’t by chance but you can summon it.”

Here’s a list of SUCCESSFUL BEHAVIOURS:

"I feel more positive and more focused"

being intentional

expanding your range and flexibility

being curious

zooming in / zooming out (to look at detail or the bigger picture)

noticing your impact

building rapport

focusing on the result

Thanks to life coach Angus Fletcher for an inspiring evening at ENVY

Overwhelmingly the people from Media Parents who took part in the workshop felt that working with Angus had positively influenced their outlook for the year ahead.  Here are a few comments made anonymously “I will be more definite about what I want”. “I’ve realised that my biggest hurdle is me and my attitude”.  ”I’m going to take more risks this year”. “I had a good laugh and got a lot from the energy of the group”. “I feel more upbeat about tackling the year ahead”.

If you’d like to look at Angus Fletcher’s powerpoint presentation of the evening, please click here: MediaParentsPresentation To discuss life coaching with Angus and benefit from a discount he’s offering to Media Parents members, please go to www.angusfletcher.com or click the logo.

NEW YEAR - NEW YOU

I'm delighted to announce our first event of 2010. On Monday Jan 10th from
6:30 - 9pm Life Coach Angus Fletcher will be running a FREE coaching
session MORE THAN RESOLUTIONS for Media Parents subscribers in Central
London.

In this session you'll get clear about what you are going to achieve in
the year ahead. We will clarify your destination, determine the resources
that will assist you, and pinpoint the challenges you are likely to face
over the year. You will leave understanding the actions you will take and
the state of mind you will need to achieve those actions. The session will
involve working individually and with your colleagues.

To reserve your place please email admin@mediaparents.co.uk

Angus Fletcher is an NLP Master Practitioner and is certified to coach individuals, teams and relationships.  He has over 15 years experience of the non-profit sector in roles ranging from IT Director, Project Management and Fundraising Director.   He has coached teams in the non-profit sector, schools, prisons and corporate settings. Angus is also the founder of Streetcoaching, a company specialising in coaching people on the go in the city.  He is pictured in the Media Parents Christmas Party photos.

take life in your stride

Angus Fletcher

www.streetcoaching.com angusfletcher@mac.com

Please find yourself on the Christmas Party photos below and comment to identify yourself!  Thanks to all those who came and made it a great party!

2. Media Parents Director Amy Walker, centre and Jo Tracy, right.

3. Emily Freshwater, Will Bulman, Kylie McCarroll (lovely nails), Amy Walker, lady in pink, Jo Tracy.

4. Robin O'Sullivan and Elliott Cranmer, left, Rebecca Dowell and Michelle Dalton, right.

5. Sarah and Zain Sabur.

6. Amber Rose, the first Media Parents baby to be born, and Zoe Fryer.

7. Rear : Anna Brabbins, Clare Richards and Tim Allan. Front left, Media Parents Director Amy Walker, Julann Smyth, Emily Freshwater.

8. Jill Robertson tries to get away from Elliott Cranmer, right.

9. From left Mikhael Junod, Caroline Bourne, Rosie Bowen-Jones, Sarah Andrew. Foreground Benjamin and his mum.

10. Media Parents first baby-off. From left Linsey Winton and Raphy, Zoe Fryer and Amber Rose, Samantha Williams and Nyome.

21.

22. McCracken Jnr, Jean Manthorpe, Hazel Palmer

22. Jude Parker, Alex Evans, Eoin O'Shea.

23. Background Anna Bonnadio, Corinne Sweet and Teresa Nunn.

24. Teresa Nunn and Lubna Bhatti with some enormous glasses of white.

25. Karen Jenkinson and Heidi Cross

26. Toral Dixit and Angus Fletcher

27. George Hencken, left, Jane Lush, Alison Martin, Kate Gibbard

28. Alison Matthews.

29. Alison Matthews talks to Nina Ferguson, foreground.

30. Mikhael Junod, Angus Fletcher and Kat Hencken.

31. Erica Wolfe-Murray, Shurwin Harwood, Jean Manthorpe.

32. Gorgeous.

33. Amy Walker and Raphy talk to Jean Manthorpe and Carl Callum.

34. Linsey Winton, Lyn Burgess, Amy Walker and Raphy Winton.

35. Corinne Sweet and Iain Mitchell.

36. Nyome Williams and Donald.

37.

38.

39. Anna Brabbins, Claire Grossmith and her dad.

40. Donald, Ronald and little cracker Nyome Williams.

Many thanks to all those who came along and made it a great event, and to ENVY for their kind hosting.  Happy Christmas from Media Parents.

17. Media Parents Director Amy Walker, shamelessly minesweeping. Julann Smyth was a graceful victim.

18. Lucy Sandys-Winsch, left.

19. Hello! Clare Richards, Tim Allan (as Curtis Brown), Anna Brabbins.

11. Jean Manthorpe and Erica Wolfe-Murray, right.

12. Angus Fletcher, foreground, Farrah Jaufuraully, centre, Corinne Sweet, rear right of frame.

13. Jane Lush and Kate Gibbard with Alison Martin.

15. This lady was not buying any of Jake Sumner's chat.

16. George Hencken foreground, with Alex Evans, Eoin O'Shea, Jude Parker and Hazel Palmer's hair.

Media Parents Series Producer Suzie Marsh discovers How to Network Effectively

http://www.mediaparents.co.uk is running a series of Christmas Parties and networking events in early 2011 to help you make connections, so here are some pointers on effective networking.

One of the hardest things to do as a freelancer is keep up your contacts, harder still is finding new ones. And it’s a million times harder to find the confidence if you’ve been out of the game having babies.  Media Parents is here to help with that. Doesn’t matter how long it’s been though, taking off the baby head and putting on the work head again can feel a bit uncomfortable, and almost like it doesn’t quite fit the same either. Or, if you’ve been out of work for longer than planned (or wanted!) your confidence can take a large knock too.

I went along to a networking event on behalf of Media Parents set up by ‘Third Door’ in Putney. It’s run by parents Shazia Mirzia and Yusuf who were looking for a better way to balance work and childcare. Their idea brought the two together. A nursery downstairs, and rentable office space upstairs for parents who want to work flexibly.  They also put together events to help people returning to work, those who are starting a new venture or just giving people the chance to meet new people – networking.

The event was not only ‘traditional’ networking (working the room whilst balancing a glass of wine and vol au vent in your hand), the evening started with a talk about the techniques and methods for making networking work for you. Anna Smee, a Business Consultant from Ovens & Smee, spoke to the group about ‘How to Network Effectively’.

She broke it down into three areas to consider:

1. Planning

2. Execution

3. Management

Planning

1. What/Who is your focus? To get a job, to broaden your contact base, to re-establish yourself and get yourself out and about again.

2. Who should you speak to? Think broadly to find people who can give you opinions, not just people who can hire you, but people who can give you background on a company/programme or information about the industry at the moment.

3. What is your objective at a networking event? Just to meet people and get out there, or make concrete connections?

4. Compare yourself against others, can you be different, how can you highlight your talents and stand out?

5. Timeline the three areas: planning, execution and management.

6. Manage your online presence

-       Be more visible by making comments – write for the Media Parents blog and watercooler, write for journals, use comment to improve your personal brand

-       Understand the sector, track your ‘brand’ development (google yourself; can you do anything to improve it, what you’re associated with etc. Or is there someone else with the same name as you?)

Execution

At the networking event

The most important thing is to prepare before you go – look at the list of attendees, do your research, find out about them and what programmes genres you have in common (if you’re coming to one of the Media Parents Christmas parties the names of some of the attendees are on the Media Parents watercooler – for a reason. It’s good to know who’s who.  You can Google images of other people to give yourself a headstart.

Sharing information can lead to all kinds of leads, direct and indirect. The purpose of an event is about exchanging details and finding mutual contacts. But it shouldn’t be all about me, me, me! It’s about building bridges, making connections and sharing information about programmes and people. So, as much as you would like advice and help yourself, you should also be helping others with what you can offer. Maybe you’ve heard that a company is looking for researchers (you’re a producer, so not for you) pass on the info, it might be a stepping stone for someone else.

Don’t forget, you are interesting and other people will value your opinions. Something we don’t often consider is that other people feel nervous too, even Execs can be worried about meeting new people.

The worst bit of networking is if the person you’re speaking to seems distracted or disinterested. DON’T take it personally. Everyone has a lot of things on their mind all the time, it almost certainly isn’t you that is making them behave that way, but instead the fact that maybe their child is ill and they want to go home, or they’ve got a big presentation in the morning and want to get off and finish it. If you can see it’s happening, be resilient and professional, say your thank yous and move on.

What if you want to leave the conversation? Sometimes the talk can tend to wander and neither knows how to end it and move on. Honesty is the best policy. After you’ve exchanged details and talked about mutual interests, say, ‘It’s been lovely to meet you and I think I should go and try and meet a few other people tonight too’.

After the event

1.    Always send thank yous to the organisers. Be courteous, and you’ll be invited again and remembered too.

2.    With the new contacts you made; wait a few days before contacting; phone calls are better than emails. Always prepare what you’re going to say, have a little script ready. Stick with it and keep trying, perseverance will out!

Management

There are two areas to consider:

Data Management

It’s very important to keep track of business contacts and any relevant and mutual information. Then if you meet them again, you’ll remember you both are interested in; rugby, running or maybe you’ve worked on the same shows, and will appear (and actually be) super organised with a fantastic memory!

Relationship Management

Ask friends and family for help. Just chatting about opportunities, what you’re looking for in the future, they might just have something that can help. With your friends in the business, don’t expect or ask them for a job, but ask them to look out for you, maybe the name of the HR person at the company they’re at. But don’t put pressure on them to deliver. Those relationships are for the long term and should be nurtured.

Not all networking is about going to events where you’re expected to work the room. Think about the people in your life and those relationships that may be able to help you. There are three types of relationships, to consider.

1.    Offers support – these people don’t work in the same business as you, but you can be honest with them, and they are with you. They may not help you find a job but they will help you stay motivated.

2.    Refers/ Recommends – These people will usually work in the same business as you, and will email on your behalf to their contacts, forward your emails and put you in touch with others.

3.    Consider you a candidate – These people want to employ you, but maybe haven’t got the right job for you at the moment. Make sure you keep in touch and let them know what you’re doing, every couple of months.

Think long term about your relationships. It’s not a harsh hard sell, as you’ll probably only work there once. And it’s not how often people will help you, but the fact that they’re willing to at all. Don’t forget it’s a two way street, you should enjoy what you can give, as much as what you hope to receive. What goes around comes around…

Suzie Marsh, flexible working Series Producer

ABOUT SUZIE MARSH :

I’m predominantly a studio producer, having spent fifteen years doing live programming including many many ‘This Mornings’!

After having children I branched out in Edit Producing (BBC Ent), and P/Ding, including running VT departments, as well as development. I’ve also SP’d youth discussion and magazine shows, as well as compilations shows. I chose to take on a variety of short term contracts to maintain a reasonable work/family life balance.

I’m looking to progress my career again now they’re both at school (and super keen to go to Disney World).

Suzie Marsh’s full biog and CV can be found at http://www.mediaparents.co.uk Details of the Media Parents Christmas parties where you can network to your heart’s content can be found elsewhere on this blog or by emailing admin@mediaparents.co.uk